Bottle capping machine



Feb. 6, 1940. N. cdRsl BOTTLE CAPPING' MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1938INVENTOR. BY 'WflwQa/z. Q0 0w.

WMHQIVEY.

Patented Fa. 6, 1940 UNlTE- STATES PATENT] orr cr.

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Nicholas Corsi, Brooklyn, N.'Y., assignor to AjaxBottle Cap Corp., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application October 17, 1938, Serial No. 235,405

2 Claims. (01. 226 -86) upwardly, and inwardly to project slightlybeyond v the cylinder. Ihe invention relates especially to a mechanismfor engaging this outward rim at a plurality of positionscircumferentially and pressing indentations or crimps under the annularrim of the bottle. Inside the top of the metal cap is placed a thin diskof paper having a coating of rubber on the bottom thereof. which tightlyengages the top of the'bottle and is held securely thereon when themetal cap is tightly crimped down on the top of the bottle. Theimprovement is a chuck which is designed to be mounted on the lower endof 'a vertically reciprocating shaft which is directlyovcr a support orstand for the bottle so that when the bottle is in position on thestand, the shaft is exactly centered over the bottle. There are avariety of bottle capping machines which operate with a verticallyreciprocating shaft and this improvement may be attached to any of thesemachines, some of which are motor actuated and others either manually orpedally operated.

Various features of the improved chuck are a main body member having abottom central cylindrical aperture substantially the same in diameteras the metal cap and having at the bottom an annular groove forreceiving the bottom outward rim of the metal cap so that the metal capfits snugly up in the cavity, but the top of the cavity is: higher thanthe metal cap so that a space is left over the capwhich prevents thechuck from engaging the top of the cap and thereby eliminates any dangerof shattering the bottle when the chuck is brought down into positionaround the metal cap. Radially disposed on the chuck on horizontal pivotpins, are a plurality of levers of the first-class, which have armsrising above the chuck and which have arms extending substantially tothe bottom of the chuck. The lower end of each arm is positioned so'thatitslower end engages the bottom rim of the metal cap and when it movesinwardly it presses the rim under the outer rim of the top of thebottle, but it does not directly press on-the glass but alpositivelymoved in both directions-by means of ways presses on the metal below theglass so that danger of shattering the glass is completely eliminated.The ohuckis formed below the pivot between the lever armand the cavityin the chuck with a stop surface which assures that the toe "5 of thelever will not move inwardly beyond the predetermined pointso that auniform crimp is always obtained and danger of contacting the neck ofthe bottle is eliminated. The levers are a toggle arrangement. A hollowshaft is mounted to reciprocate vertically in a central bore in the topof. the chuck. An annular plate may be inserted in the top of the lowercavity of the chuck and forms a stop to prevent the hollow shaft fromdownward movement beyond a predetermined point.v Lugs disposed radiallyin line with each lever on the sides of the hollow shaft are connectedwith'each lever by means of links, each lingbeing pivoted to the outerend of the lug and also pivoted to the top of the lever. It'is clearthat the downwardmovernent of the hollow shaft makes a positive toggleaction which forces the toe of the lower arm of the lever positivelyinto engagement with the lower annular rim of the metal cap to form acrimp and it is also clear that when the hollow shaft is raised,

the toe of the lever is removed from the crimp in the rim of the cappermitting the removal of the sealed bottle and the insertion of a freshbottle and cap into the lower cavity of the chuck. A cover or canopymaybe mounted on the chuck, but-centrally apertured for the shaftptokeep dust or dirt out of the movable parts. A hole may be provided inthe upper part of the hollow shaft which permits the insertion of astick or rod, which may be pushed down to engage and remove a metal capin case the latter should become stuck or wedged in the cavity of thechuck. The invention provides a very powerful and precise crimpingaction, safeguards in every the cracking of the bottle and procures atight seal on the top of every bottle. The mechanism is very simple inconstruction and in operation. Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is avertical section showing the open position of the crimping levers.

Figure 2' is an enlarged vertical section showing the closed or crimpingposition of the levers.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure l with (5 A jar or bottle I0 ismoulded with a top annular rim I I, the outer projection of which, invertical section, is in the form of one-half a rectangle. A metal cap 12in the form of a section of a cylinder including one end thereof, has onthe outer edge knurling, or serrations for assisting in removing the capfrom the jar. Inside the top of the cap is placed a paper disk [3entirely covering the inside top of the cap and having a rubber coatingfor engaging the top of the jar l0 and tightly sealing the cap thereon.The lower outer edge of the cap I2 is provided with an outward andupward curl forming an outwardly projecting rim M at the bottom of thecap which is made of a metal bendable in the operation of a bottlecapping machine to form crimps l5 which turn inward and upward under thetop rim ll of the jar I0. In the form shown the cap is provided with sixcrimps l5 equidistantly disposed, which assure a tight seal of the capon the jar.

The machine for sealing the caps l2 on the jars It comprises a chuck I3having formed centrally in the bottom thereof a cylindrical cavity I! ofthe same size as the cap I2. The cavity l1 connects with the top of thechuck [6 by means of a central bore l8 and the bottom of the cavity I!is provided at the lower outer edge with an annular groove or recess 19which is exactly the same size as the lower rim M on the bottom of thecap l2. An annular disk 23 exactly fits up in the top of the cavity l7and is secured therein by screws 2| which enter screwthreaded bores inthe chuck Hi. The size of this disk 23 is such that it projects inwardlyinto the bore Hi to provide a stop around the bottom of the bore ill butto leave a central aperture for access to the top of a cap l2. In thechuck l6 are provided six radially disposed vertical slots 22. A hollowvertical shaft 23 exactly fits the bore H3 in the chuck and is adaptedto reciprocate therein, and the shaft 23 is provided with ascrew-threaded central bore 24 at the top thereof for attaching theshaft 23 to the bottom of the vertically reciprocating shaft of a bottlecapping machine. An aperture 25 may be provided in the side wall of thehollow shaft 23 for the insertion of a wire or rod, which may be used todislodge a cap l2 stuck in the cavity 11. The hollow bore 26 of theshaft serves for a recess for the bottom of the vertically reciprocatingrod of a bottle capping machine or for introducing a rod or wire throughthe aperture 25.

An annular collar 21 is secured on the outside of the shaft 23 above thechuck H; which supports six radially disposed lugs 28 each having avertical slot which mounts a transverse pivot pin 29. The slots in thelugs 28 are in the same vertical plane as the slots 22 in the lowerportion of the chuck it. Links 3| have their inner ends pivoted on thepins 29 and have at their outer ends vertically slotted yokes 32. Pins33 horizontally positioned in the vertical slots of the yokes 32,pivotally support at the upper end levers 34 which are mounted forradial rocking motion on pins 35 transversely positioned in the slots22. At the end of the lower arm of each lever 34 is an inwardlyprojecting toe 36 which is adapted to engage the lower rim M of the capl2, as shown in Figure 1, and push it in under the rim ll of the jar IE!to form the crimps l5,

as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The lower inner ends of the slots 22 areprovided with stops 3'! which engage the lower inner edge of the levers34 in the innermost crimping position and prevent the toes 33 frompushing the metal rim [4 in so far as to injure the glass of the jar H].A cap 38 may be mounted on lugs 39 at the side of the chuck I6 andexclude dirt from the moving parts of the machine.

The mode of operation.-A bottle l0 which is mounted on a stand in abottle capping machine is centrally positioned under the verticallyreciprocating shaft of the bottle capping machine, which also mounts theshaft 23, as shown in Figure l, of my improved crimping device, and thecrimping device, including the chuck I6, is lowered on to the top of thecap l2 to the position shown in Figure 1. As the shaft 23 is loweredfurther to the position shown in Figure 2, the

links 3| are pushed down and provide a toggle action on the upper armsof the levers 34 thereby forcing the toes 36 inward against the rim I4of the cap 42 to provide the crimps 15, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5.As the shaft 23 is again lifted the chuck returns to the position shownin Figure l and is also raised as much more as may be required for thefacile removal of a bottle having a crimped cap thereon, which is shownin Figure 5, and the machine is then ready for the insertion of anotherbottle as shown in Figure l. The operation is very rapid and the bottlecapping machine may be operated by a motor, or by a manual or pedalcontrol, as desired.

aving shown and described one form of my invention and realizing that inview of my disclosure modifications will readily occur to those skilledin the art, I do not limit myself except as in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bottle capping machine comprising in.

combination, a chuck, a central cylindrical cavity in the bottom of thechuck for the insertion of a bottle cover with a metal cap to befastened on top of the bottle, a plurality of levers pivoted on thechuck and having arms movable radially toward and away from the centerof the cavity,

means for moving the said arms into engagement with the rim of the metalcap and also out of engagement with the metal cap, a centrally mountedvertically reciprocating shaft in the top of the chuck, links connectingsaid shaft and the tops of the levers, the bore of said shaft connectingwith the cavity in the bottom of said chuck, and an annular platecentrally apertured but having an inner wall engageable as a stop withthe bottom of the hollow member.

2. In a bottle capping machine for crimping a metal cap on a bottleprovided with an outer top rim comprising a chuck having a centralbottom cavity for receiving the metal cap, the

cavity having a height greater than that of the metal cap, the bottom ofthe cavity terminating in an annular groove adapted to receive the lowerrim of the metal cap, and a plurality of levers pivoted on the chuck andhaving toes mounted to engage the lower edge of the metal rim below theannular rim at the top of the glass bottle and push said rim under saidannular rim of the bottle, the toes having an extended upper surfaceadapted to push the metal closely under the lower edge of the glass rim.

NICHOLAS CORSI.

